Friday, September 10, 2010

Infamous Governor Arpaio taken to court by Justice Department

The Grand Canyon State has been the topic of discussion for a while. Governor Jan Brewer decried SB1070 which Obama has challenged as being unconstitutional. There still is no answer on the law that lets authorities check immigration status of any person they come into contact with within the state. The Justice Department has decided to sue Sheriff of Maricopa County, Joe Arpaio, raging on the Grand Canyon State and federal government feud. An investigation was being conducted on civil rights abuse. The Department of Justice says Joe Arpaio didn’t cooperate in this. Source of article – Infamous lawman Joe Arpaio taken to court by Justice Department by Newystype.com.

Joe Arpaio discriminating

Sheriff Joe Arpaio was supposedly trying to “sweep” illegal immigrants by targeting only Hispanics which is why the investigation started. The Maricopa County deputies were expected by the Sheriff to go to heavily Hispanic areas. The Los Angeles Times reports these deputies were intended to stop every person for minor things. At the point of detention, deputies will check the immigration status of suspects. This practice has been carried out since before the controversial Arizona immigration law was proposed. The Justice Department asked Sheriff Arpaio for documentation of these sweeps. He was unwilling to give it up. Allegedly, he denied federal investigators access to buildings and refused to hand over requested material.

No stranger to lawsuits

The Maricopa Sheriff is no stranger to lawsuits. His jail is called Tent City and has tents in the desert with high fences with barbed wire around it, and several have sued him for family dying in this jail. ABC explains that an investigation as a result of corruption is being done by the grand jury for Sheriff Arpaio and the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. Over a year ago the Justice Department first requested documentation from the Office. Attorneys suing Arpaio’s department were supposed to be able to get a hold of the documents that a federal judge found the Sheriff’s Office had wrecked.